does this sound right to you?

[asabo 0]

I was driving from Williams Lake to Vancouver.  I stopped to fill up with fuel in Hope, and then my car wouldn't start.  I had it towed to Vancouver Mercedes to have it looked at.  I had a standard maintenance to do anyway.

 

They said that the fuel pump failed electrically, and burned up the wiring bundle.  To repair this, they need to replace the fuel pump, the wiring bundle.  Since the wiring bundle is attached to the SAM, it has to be replaced also, which in turn, means programming new keys.  The ESTIMATE for all this is $3400.

 

Does this sound correct to you?  can you give me any thoughts?

 

I have standard maintenance, and a couple of other repairs, so the total is looking like $5000, and that means the car might have to go to the auto recyclers.  I'd really like any advice from the Smart car club folks.

 

Thanks,

 

Tony

[smartdriver 49]

1 hour ago, asabo said:

They said that the fuel pump failed electrically, and burned up the wiring bundle.  To repair this, they need to replace the fuel pump, the wiring bundle.  Since the wiring bundle is attached to the SAM, it has to be replaced also, which in turn, means programming new keys.  The ESTIMATE for all this is $3400.

 

Does this sound correct to you?  can you give me any thoughts?

 

Tony

I'm certain others with direct experience will chime in.

 

Although your fuel pump may need to be replaced, there is a chance that it isn't faulty and the problem actually arises from a burned connector on the SAM from corrosion and from the high pump current. There is a fuse for the fuel pump and if it were drawing excessive current, it seems more likely that the fuse would blow before any wiring harness damage.

 

The SAM connector and the harness connector, if damaged, can be repaired and there are a number of threads on this site on how to do it.

 

http://clubsmartcar.com/index.php?/topic/28124-fuel-pump-upgrade/

 

Edited February 23, 2017 by smartdriver

[LooseLugNuts 557]

yep

 

step 1 :get your car back from those stealership con artists

 

step 2: inspect and repair your n11 connections for fuel pump by installing an external relay....might as well do the headlight relays too

[MikeT 744]

If you don't want to do the work yourself, take it to Eddy Lai in Richmond.  He knows his stuff and his prices, while not cheap, are fair. 

[smart142 605]

It is usually the fuel pump relay in the SAM (fuse box) that fails.

The cheapest solution is to take the rear belly pan off, find the main wiring harness to the fuel pump in the tank, there are 2 thicker wires leading to the pump,

the brown one is the ground - cut it and then solder in a wire to ground, the other is cut and then routed  to the fuse box (drivers footwell), attach a female spade to the wire, attach a 10 amp fuse, and then fix to switched power on the side of the fuse box, .Key on and that turns on the fuel pump.

Cost of repair - 1 1/2 hrs, and probably $3 worth of materials.

I've done this repair about 4 times in the last 2 years

[smartdriver 49]

1 hour ago, smart142 said:

 

The cheapest solution is to take the rear belly pan off, find the main wiring harness to the fuel pump in the tank,

 

I am curious why it is necessary to remove the belly pan to find the wiring harness.

 

Wouldn't it be easier to remove the pump wire(s) from the connector going to the SAM at the SAM connector, add the spade lug and connect it to a switched fuse? There was also a comment about this method having a safety issue from having the pump running all the time.

Edited February 23, 2017 by smartdriver

[asabo 0]

smart142, you really have me thinking here.  if it is possible to just confirm that this will really fix my problem... Is there a way to test or identify if this repair is the right one?  I would have to tow the car off the Mercedes lot (since I don't think they'll do this for me.  Also, I have about $200 in maintence and other repairs to consider... but if $3400 of teh bill goes away... I would get to keep my car!

 

can ou send me a link to more information about this?

 

thanks,

Tony

 

[smartdriver 49]

Just a caveat:

 

http://clubsmartcar.com/index.php?/topic/30541-cranking-wont-start-my-turn-no-fuel-pressure/&page=2

 

If it is of concern to you, you can add a fuel cutoff inertia switch or there is always the more complicated external relay fix.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-mercury-Inertia-Fuel-Pump-Switch-/131720107134?hash=item1eab21547e:g:YJIAAOSwa-dWs9RW&vxp=mtr

 

Edited February 23, 2017 by smartdriver

[smart142 605]

19 hours ago, asabo said:

smart142, you really have me thinking here.  if it is possible to just confirm that this will really fix my problem... Is there a way to test or identify if this repair is the right one?  I would have to tow the car off the Mercedes lot (since I don't think they'll do this for me.  Also, I have about $200 in maintence and other repairs to consider... but if $3400 of teh bill goes away... I would get to keep my car!

 

can ou send me a link to more information about this?

 

thanks,

Tony

 

What do you have to lose?

Take it to a mechanic, show him the instructions, and see if that solves your problem. Might cost you $3-400.

 

'' There was also a comment about this method having a safety issue from having the pump running all the time. ''

I would be concerned if was gasoline, diesel not a big concern.

 

 

[AHZELA 12]

this may help..  I would lean more towards this being the issue..   Much easier to wiggle the plug at the SAM than search for a burnt wire. IMO